Skarius Snowtalon
Contents
- 1 Author's Notes
- 2 Description
- 3 Physical Appearance
- 4 History
- 5 Achievements
- 6 Abilities
- 7 Equipment
- 8 Weaknesses
- 9 Personality
- 10 Allies and Associates
- 11 Rogues Gallery
- 12 Miscellanous
- 13 Public Opinion
Author's Notes
Snowtalon started first appearing on Champions in November 2011, as a power armored snow dragon with rather incidental origins. In many ways or others, he has grown and developed into a completely new character while still maintaining his core concept. As of now, he's a multidimensional snow dragon who was convicted, thrown into a multidimensional portal to certain death and ended up on Earth. He now works with UNTIL around the globe as a lethal, scaly weapons platform capable of dumping a third world country's worth of firepower into a single location.
However, Snow is not without his faults. He is a genuinely very 'human' character with identifiable weaknesses that can potentially hinder a mission or even cost him his life. However-however, this does not mean Snow is weak in any fashion. With his plethora of weaponry and his own abilities he had attained over the years, he is a battlefield terror.
Description
The man, the legend, the dragon. Skarius Snowtalon is one of the most iconic of his species, hailed as a hero by the Tralonian Empire formed by the Tralonian dragons. When he was double-crossed in a lifechanging moment and sent catapulting into our own dimension, he emerged with his integrity intact. Touched by the crucible of war and with a tempered mind, in two different universes where danger lurks at every corner, Colonel Snowtalon remains stalwart and relentlessly continues to push forward against the tide of malice, showing genuine care for the people he interacts with and leaving life all the brighter with every good deed, and an inspiration to many. Read on, and learn more of this great character - one who has not only been awarded with greatness, but scarred with personal tragedy and a tendency to be hard on himself.
Physical Appearance
The dragon is at peak of physical health for his species. Standing at a staggering eight feet and four feet wide and boasting a muscular frame and build, Skarius' menacing structure is the result of intense physical training he endured in both his training and during his youth. However, due to the nature of his subspecies, his physicality has a tendency to fluctuate - at times, he is muscular and flat-stomached, and at others, slightly tubbier. His natural features also come into play, having draconic features such as horns that jut from his shoulders, the tip of his tail and outwardly from the very top of his head. The frills on the sides of his head are extremely flexible and can be folded for fitting into headgear, but they also serve as his ears. His military background is further supported by the massive lip scar streaking across his face. If one were to see his exposed chest, they would also notice a row of claw scars across his chest and what looks like a burn scar in the shape of a rune on his left pectoral. Like all Snow Tralonians, he possesses a white-grey mane around his shoulders, upper chest, upper back and some fur on the tip of his tail, being the only sub-species capable of growing fur. Skarius' age is starting to kick in now, his frills changing colour and some of his scales lightening.
An interesting note is that unlike most dragons he lacks wings, causing many people to often mistake him for a lizard, which has evolved into something of a running gag. However, the true reason for this is because his species has crossbred with so many humanoid lifeforms that they themselves have taken a more humanoid form: standing on two legs, external sexual organs and most obviously, the lack of wings. However, they still keep their other draconic traits, such as the horns, the head shape, tails, retractable claws/talons and of course the hearing frills. An interesting characteristic of his species is that their muscle tissue possesses a very high magnitude of density, Snow himself weighing near a metric ton. As a result, they are physically more able than humans - a pre-teen Tralonian can lift a ton with little assistance. An interesting thing to note about Tralonian emotions is that their physical forms have a special link with their mentality. Based on the kind of emotion, Tralonians can manifest their powers through intense physical pain or anger, and their glowing eyes can often flare up to the point that their pupils are no longer visible. This has been quite noticeable with Skarius, his amber eyes burning unusually bright.
History
Early Life
Snowtalon was born in Northwestern Tralonia, October 26th, 813 BC, on the floating city of Kizameth when it made its way to the snowy regions. Snowtalon was a gifted boy from a young age, but often ostracized by others due to his inherent introvertedness and love for literature and lack of social ability. Working mostly alone and with few friends, he pursued a career in study of the mind, specifically, that of psychology, and was closely working towards the goal of getting what is the Tralonian equivalent of a degree in that specific field.
The reason for turning himself into a soldier was due to his father's untimely demise and the disappearance of both his mother and sister at the hands of a cult leader named Lord Tharne Darkveil, who served the Bleak Cult - a Qliphothic cult based around the worship of the Bleak Ones, dark gods who were planning Tralonia's demise. Tharne's bloodline had a long feud with Skarius', the two families had been at each others throats for long, mostly due to Tharne's influence. Skarius' resulting trauma is still felt today, centuries later. He dropped his more academic field after having an epiphany about the real bitterness, and the fact that other people might suffer the same fate on a far bigger scale were there not the valiant defenders to keep invaders at bay. So he became a soldier, working night and day to perfect his body into a "strongman" build, wishing to be as swift as he was strong, even if he couldn't pull agility into the mix.
At some point in time, Skarius Snowtalon became a fabled Tralonian Battlemaster, masters of all kinds of weaponry, inherited technological giftness and each with a genius IQ - Snow possessed one that reached 170, and received intense strength augmentations Tralonians live long lifespans, lifespans of up to and past 10,000 years. However, the Tralonian Dragons often undergo trials of maturation. Tralonians essentially undergo an aging "rebirth" every thousand years, in which they undergo rites of passage. One of the most important is when one reaches around two thousand years of age, where one is given a ship and told to settle down on another planet, encouraging them to explore. The Shadow Tralonians are the biggest practitioners, given their inquisitive nature. Snow had already had his first two, given his two thousand years of ago, first going on a pilgrimage, and the second serving as a nomadic traveller. Five hundred years ago, however, Snow committed a crime only known to himself, as archives are lost now, a bitter pill he has struggled to swallow.
As time went on, Snow became a war hero and an icon of his people, a living breathing symbol of defiance against all odds. A genetic throwback to the great pillager and warlord Tannorian Larias Snowtalon, Skarius was said to have resembled him and Snow himself aspired to become an Exemplar - the Tralonian equivalent of a saint, living or dead - which Tannorian was the fifth out of sixth. Tannorian ultimately redeemed himself when he powered The Vanquisher, a giant "gene-cannon" which was powered not only the sacrifice of someone's life, but also capable of erasing DNA from existence. The Vanquisher was used against the Lightning Tralonians, who were based around using electricity and were five to seven times stronger than the other provinces and subspecies, who attempted to take Tralonia for themselves. Tannorian, despite a controversial life, redeemed himself as thus. Snow recalls the tale of Tannorian's bravery and his last moments, the moments which redeemed him, as clear as day, as it reminds him that even the most ambiguous, not to mention the most reckless of people, can save themselves, even at the eleventh hour.
Tharne Darkveil's Bleak Cult had grown in power within the capital city of Kizameth. As he was slowly gaining power, he placed the Tralonian Tribunal of Militants, which was a council of governors who oversaw all Tralonian military engagements, military policies and even dealt in court cases regarding military and war crimes, under his control using a powerful Mind Sigil, given to him by an unknown outside force who had shown interest in his malicious endeavors. Slowly, as his power creep moved in, Tharne seized control of The Judicator, the judge responsible for doling out suitable punishments for those deemed war criminals, and converted him to the service of the cult. Tharne's masters deemed Snowtalon a threat, urging Darkveil to deliver a fate worse than death - to have him condemned in the eyes of the public, to have him exiled.
Tharne succeeded.
So when the time came, Snowtalon was framed for military crimes he did not commit, and was sentenced to inter-dimensional exile by The Judicator, the evidence backed by Snowtalon's superior and ex-mate, Azala Emberstone. This stinging betrayal remained in Snowtalon's heart for years to come, even after the Reclamation of Kizameth three decades later. Snow was lucky that The Judicator was required to give him his arms, his armour and his utility belt, or he would not have come prepared in the years to come.
Alone in Another World
Fate decreed Snow's death would not come early. The Earth year was 1983, and a terrible winter storm had rolled in over the English countryside. By himself in on alien planet, Snowtalon did not panic. At one time, he was relieved as he had been condemned on his homeworld, now an outlaw. However, at the same time he was at loss as to where he was, and what to do. He traveled the countryside for signs of life, discovering the main inhabitants of the planet were humans. He had interacted with their kind from other dimensions before, and even in his home dimension. However, while the dragon was laying low from the inhabitants, he accidentally ran into a entourage of several soldiers belonging to the terrorist group called VIPER. He attempted to subdue them using his cryokinesis, as winter-based dragons had the ability to control cold weather and freeze water molecules in the air to create ice. Although he still had his durable armor with him, he was unprepared for the Draysha enforcer advancing on him, who shattered his left bracer with a few punches and soon knocked him out. They took interest in him because of his reptilian nature, and knowing VIPER's obsession with making reptile-themed super-soldiers, they took him to the Nest that had been hidden within a nearby mountain.
The VIPER scientists planned on splicing his corpse and experimenting with it, and confiscated Skarius' belt. However, little to their knowledge is that in confiscating it, the belt's remote distress signal device was activated, attracting the attention of UNTIL radar operators, their organization having a base in London. They dispatched a small strike force of experienced UNTIL agents to the location. They discovered the distress signal was coming from a VIPER nest, and so the UNTIL soldiers tore their way through the base, snakes falling left and right. They discovered the distress signal belonged to Skarius' belt, and found him locked in shackles behind an energy cell, his armor nearby. Noticing his obviously injured state, the super-team took pity on the dragon. He was released and given both the armor and his belt back, and as a result his translation program allowed him to speak English to the soldiers. The UNTIL group had him escorted back to the UNTIL headquarters in London, before promptly leaving. The dragon explained his situation to his rescuers, and asked why he had been captured by these humans. The agents noticed his lip scar, the armor and the belt, asking him if he were a soldier. The dragon replied he was once a military commander before coming to Earth at least a month ago by then, and that he was not from this dimension. However, given previous experience and that technologically advanced piece of equipment on his person, UNTIL Director Gideon H. Jones gave him a proposition - working with UNTIL as a supersoldier. Snow agreed, was given the codename BRUTUS, and his tale on Earth began.
The Battle of Detroit
In the next nine years, the painful year of 1992 had started. In secret, Snow was sent to Detroit to monitor super-crime activity. The dragon had been staying undercover for the last few years, so his appearance would not attract any attention - Millennium City did not lose Detroit's abundance of super-powered and diverse range of heroes. Thanks to his teaching of culture and learning from his UNTIL mentors, he could now speak English without having to use his translator. He had also developed his signature British accent.
On the 22nd of July, UNTIL's suspicions proved all too right, much to their dismay. Dr. Destroyer came close to destroying Detroit using his Meteor Magnet doomsday device, but the metahuman Vanguard sacrificed himself to stop the asteroids heading for Earth. Even then, this wasn't enough to stop the mad scientist's diabolical scheme. Destroids rising up to the thousands, hired villains and mercenaries running amok, even the green-skin four-armed brute known as Grond and the metallic, robotic dinosaur referred to as Mega-Terak began demolishing and rampaging around the city. PRIMUS forces were called, as were what was left of the law enforcement. Even the eight-foot-armed-to-the-teeth dragon smacked his jaw at the enormous invasion force, knowing that a huge battle would commence. Battling his way through many Destroids and trashing up several hired mercenaries in the process, he managed to save several civilians trapped underneath rubble while at it.
Snowtalon took to the skies with his combat gear equipped and his weapons at the ready, to strike at his big target - Mega-Terak, already under attack by several other heroes. The dragon swerved around the robotic skeletal dinosaur, pelting at it with ice shards, bullets and whatever else he could throw at it. The monster ravaged the streets, killing civilians and causing hundred thousands in property damage. It's static field, steel teeth and lightning breath proved a match for the powerful draconic hero, resulting in a tense, exhausting fight that lasted until early morning on the 23rd of July. The armored dragon had been fighting for all night, nearly out of endurance as it seemed Terak would win. However, the dragon had a sudden burst of energy, and defeating the robotic dinosaur by tearing out it's Bioinformatic Engine - ruining Terak's senses and causing it to flee.
Even though he won the battle he gazed off into the horizon. Soon, he could not believe his eyes as to what he saw next - Destroyer's Orbital Cannon had been activated, meaning Zerstoiten's underground base and presumably himself would have been obliterated, along with the Sentinels super-team. Knowing he would have very little time, Snow took what little chance he had and flew out of Detroit as fast as he could, feeling the heat of the incredibly powerful bombardment cannon on his toes. Once he had cleared himself from the blast zone, he fell down to his knees, looking at the ruined city. Distraught at the events and his failure, he was wracked with guilt, bringing back the stinging memory of his betrayal by his people as he returned to the UNTIL HQ in England to bring the terrible news. Despite all his efforts, he felt that he would be berated for being unable to save tens of thousands of lives. Expecting resentment, he was instead commended for his efforts in subduing many of the Destroids and Mega-Terak, to his surprise. Even though he failed, they had him on assignments around the world afterwards, despite such a tragedy.
Current Life
If anything, Snow is no relic from a past age. By 2011, Snow had become a global Agent, sent by UNTIL solo or occasionally with a team to various hotspots around the world. He has gotten to know many other colorful heroes in this time, as well as met a few enemies. No matter, the dragon was a rising star in the hero community for his efforts. His assistance in the cleanup of Westside, his involvement with Operation: Demonflame and his recent endeavors regarding the Destroid invasion, are examples of this. The project he is found working most with is Project Hermes, UNTIL's mystical force, as there has been a strange increase in magic-origin villains in the past years.
Socially, Snow's known for having a heart of gold underneath his scaled, grizzled exterior. He's smart, considerate and generally fun to have around. Even if his activities as a soldier leave him somewhat preoccupied, crime activity from the 90's/80's has died down, so he gets more and more free time and the occasional slab of paperwork thrown his way. He can oft be spotted working out at Carl's Gym, building things in the MCPD Armory or simply taking a break at Club Caprice or Shererra's Bar. Another trait of him is his charisma. As mentioned above he's met several heroes personally, many of them having worldwide or in drastic cases, galactic fame. In the past year, it seems that the crime waves have just died down.
However, as of late, there have been some new stirrings in Millennium City...
Home Renovating and the Annihilator Attack
In late November and early December, 2012, Snow's recent trips to Caprice have proved to be quite interesting. While at the bar, he discovered that two Terraxeir soldiers had managed to infiltrate the club, looking for the Ben'haian Shir'ith, also known as Slicer. Though he managed to chase the two out of the club with the assistance of a wolven Cognatus member Tiria, the two grunts had been calling for "Annihilator support", referring to the large automated weapons platforms the Terraxeir deploy on high-priority targets.
Once this incident died down, Snow got to work on building the elaborate underground base near his Penthouse. The ruins of Detroit proved to be an ideal breeding ground for building the base. Because of his involvement in the Battle of Detroit, he managed to fan out the entire base over a large area of the undercity. Humorously enough, he made an overpass over his friend Armory's own underground base, who had the same idea. He started storing his munitions here and set up a workshop in his armory. Once he was done with setting up the base, he installed the elevator system leading up to his penthouse in Downtown Millenium City, along with a hatch bay for his tank.
On December the 8th, Snow had arrived at Caprice yet again to find Slicer at the bar. Recently, she had subdued an Terraxeir General whose corpse was delivered to the morgue at the UNTIL HQ. While chatting, the female Ben'haian noted that a Terraxeir ship may be arriving at Earth, which she knew through her contacts. After she left to go to her garage, the previously mentioned Armory arrived at Caprice, panting. He had discovered disturbing energy signals above the City Center. The dragon made his way there while Armory brought a rough prototype of his 'Demolisher' mecha to the signal, and to their dismay, a Terraxeir Annihilator literally dropped out of the sky. A massive battle near City Center park ensued between the Annihilator, Armory and Snowtalon, culminating when the Terraxeir killer robot reduced Headshot's prototype to a few scraps of metal on rocket legs. His prototype cannon blasted the robot apart, winning the battle.
In the mean time, Armory had repaired his mecha and updated it for when the OSF were to retaliate. Learning from the experience that not even the best of warriors can often taken on their bigger enemies single-handedly, Snowtalon developed a matter manipulator capable of expanding his size, height and armour.
Return to Sender
Recently, Snowtalon encountered another Tralonian snow dragon who managed to evade Earth's dimensional barriers and enter the dimension. She went by the name Drozala Frostfist, who not only contacted Snow within her first week of being on Earth, but brought some very grave news - his home planet of Tralonia, the heart of the Tralonian Empire, had come under siege. A recent Qliphothic invasion occurred, and the planet's forces could not prevent the previous Emperor and Empress' demise. As a result, none other than the murderer of Snow's parents, a man Tralonia's history quickly forgot about, Tharne Darkveil assumed the role of the planet's ruler, with the assistance of his female compatriot - Azala Emberstone. Drozala's mention of the two almost sent Snowtalon into a barely contained rage. When Tharne took the throne, enormous black magic clouds obscured the atmosphere and plunged Tralonia into darkness. Now everyone lives under Tharne's brutal regime, but resistance forces fight indoctrinated Tharne loyalists across the the globe. Drozala returned to her world shortly after, and she was captured by the Tharne regime.
As a result, Skarius plans to amass an attack force and return to the planet of his birth. This movement has caused him to join an organization known as Tyrian Materials Complex, of which he as been assigned to as an assistant director - the group was made by a group of subsidiaries from another, the Metahuman Agent Contract Enterprise. With MACE's inactivity, the TMC was formed, and Snow was invited to join. Just a day after the mobilization for Tralonia was ordered, Snowtalon was attacked by Slayvel, the DEMON assassin, and Erilion the Immaculate, who was an incubus bound to DEMON's employ. The attack occurred inside Snowtalon's penthouse - Snow lost the resulting scuffle and lost an artifact he was keeping in stasis - this artifact was some sort of crown-shaped object with a relation to Qliphoth, as the energy inside resembled a Qliphothic energy signature. The two assailants managed to escape through a portal before Snow could stop them.
A month later, the event that came was known as The Reclamation of Kizameth began. Snowtalon rallied most of Tyrian Materials Complex's major members, including the CEO Sharilyn Corde, and began the siege. Praetor Garrison was present for the battle in a mostly support role, as an advancing wall of defense for the Tyrian team plus Snow's Team to retreat to should things get hairy. The Tyrian Team proceeded through a slave quarry after taking a detour to the undercity and freed the slaves, slaying the Earthen Tralonian Slavemaster present, a Tharne loyalist. However, the biggest revelation in the quarry was a mysterious, veiled figure which sprinted through the quarry toting a high-tech bow. The figure revealed itself as none other than Skaria Snowtalon, Skarius' long-missing twin sister he was separated at birth with. After identifying herself, she accompanied the team to the Munitions Factory on Kizameth, to secure it from the Tharne loyalists and to subdue Azala Emberstone.
Meanwhile, Snow's AVALANCHE tank was struck by a bolt of magic lightning from the magic storm circling overhead the city, which caused it to crash in the downtown of the floating metropolis. Assaulted by wave after wave of Tharne's Warmongers, Warrior-Servicemen, Exarchs and the like, until the assault was weathered. At the dusk of the battle they continued to move through the city and to the Internment Center. After dividing into two further separate teams, Snowtalon and his team reached The Redeemer - where Snow was once sentenced - and found his age-old foe.
Having grown in power and influence thanks to his affiliation with Tharne, The Tralonian Judicator possessed a powerful Voidite crystal which was capable of shorting out Skarius' power suit, leaving his suit malfunctioning for the duration of the fight. That was not the only problem - it also shorted out his utility implant, forcing Snow to rely on only his bare armour, his fists and his cryokinesis to subdue the foe. After being assailed by wave after wave of Qliphothic Horrors, including several Nightmare Demolishers, Snow took the fight one step further and tore apart The Redeemer for good, sucking the team and half of the Internment Center into the Shining Darkness.
Snow and half of his team ended up finally defeating The Judicator in the Qliphoth, before returning to realspace and reuniting with the other half of Snow's team. In their efforts, they had saved four Tralonian Partisans - Tellyn, a Celestial Apothecarius, a combat medic, Kraxin, an Earthen Bombardier, explosives expert, Drozala, who relied mostly on her elemental abilities, and Dellarous, a Flame Warrior-Sergeant. Upon freeing the Tralonia militia, however, it was revealed that several Rodir priests had been taken captive. The Rodi were the people of the priestess Mesira, spirits in possession of a host body. The priests were traveling pilgrims who helped the Tralonians in previous times and maintained close relations, allowing them to take pilgrimages upon the surface of Tralonia. They had helped convert Dellarous, Kraxin and Tellyn to the service of Naemaeles, Alouz and Scindixus respectively. The team eventually managed to leave the Internment Center and soon took a hike to the Munitions Factory as Praetor Garrison held off the bulk of the Tharne army, which included Erilion at the head. Skarius in particular, was finally reunited with his sister, welcoming her with a warm embrace and restoring his morale.
Azala Emberstone had been waiting for them - in the great furnaces and smelting pots of the Munitions Factory, Azala had been sitting upon a throne of steel and copper, awaiting their arrival. She had planned for them to come to her rather than for her to go after them, like Slayvel and Erilion did, and instead stayed in wait. After trudging through the factory, Azala mockingly greeted the team before something began rising from the ground - the Subjugator-model Assault Fortress, essentially a giant floating weapons platform with a grand total of eleven different weapons poking out of its metal shell. Barely managing to hold such a mechanical beast off, the leader of the Silver Lance, Silver Blast, sacrificed himself by detonating his power armoured suit within the core of the machine, which led to White-Glint's alter-ego began to emerge thanks to the build-up of stress. A darker aspect of his personality, Nine, obliterated the suit that Snow had built for him and went on a roaring rampage through the factory, leaving Slicer, Mesira, Illusionista, Gauntlet and most of the other team to go and track him down. Meanwhile, Skarius took Mesira, Varulfr, what remained of the Silver Lance and Power Bunny to confront Azala, who faced her final fate at Snow's hands - a lecture on her viceful ways followed by executing her via Icebreaker.
After emerging outside, the Obelisk of Undying Despair, Tharne's control tower in the heart of Kizameth had power circling around it. Ordering Power Bunny and the Silver Lance to return to Praetor Garrison's aid after catching Nine, Snow flew both Varulfr and Mesira to the top of the tower to confront Tharne, once and for all. Waiting for him at the very top of the Obelisk was not just Tharne, but Slayvel as well, who had left Erilion in command of the army before returning to Tharne's side. With the Rodi priest at his side, Tharne revealed the other trick up his sleeve - he had enlisted the help of Xikorai the Fallen, a fallen archangel cast down from the Paesa pantheon for her radicalism. Before delivering a lecture of his own, a dark mirror of Snow's, he plunged all three of the heroes into their own miniature dimensions for the final confrontation.
Varulfr was brought to the lab where he was first turned into an anthropomorph, fighting against Slayvel. After being impaled by Slayvel's sword through his ribs, Varulfr pulled the sword from his body and decapitated Slayvel with but a single swing of the blade, finally ending the cutthroat assassin.
Mesira was brought to a familiar scene - a recreation of The Clash within the Storm, the battle in which Xikorai and Mesira first fought. After a clash of intense magical energies, dodging sword blows and epic warrior-like poetry delivered on both ends, Mesira finally broke Xikorai's mask - her essence. As a result, Xikorai finally, well and truly, disintegrated, fading from existence itself.
Skarius was brought to one of the most important events in his life. He was transported to a recreation of the Battle of Detroit, in the ruins of the aftermath. After an enormous battle of blades, axes and sharp objects coming to blows, Skarius lost his left hand to Lord Tharne, but this did not stop him from continuing on and finally slaying the Qliphothic Cult-Leader at last. Plunging Icebreaker into Tharne's chest and shattering his illusion, Skarius delivered one final speech to Tharne before letting him fall to the surface of the Obelisk. The battle was won for Kizameth, and the magic storms lifted, allowing the ships to pass back into Tralonia. Much celebration - and a mechanical left hand - followed, including Snow and his entire team, as well as soldiers from Praetor Garrison, were enshrined in the Hall of Heroes. Snow was finally named Exemplar of Tralonia and Regent of Kizameth. However, Snow decided that he would not live a cushy life of comfort and fame in his own galaxy and left for Earth once again, with his allies. As of recently, he decided to leave the board of directors at TMC, joining a far more active group of do-gooders - The Liberators.
Snow Drake Blues
Given Skarius' recent revelations of his father's death and his mother and sister's disappearance, Tharne's motivation for taking over Kizameth and several truths unraveled about his past, Snow has be unsure of what to think of himself. Recently, he had became frustrated, one part in due to his bitter past, the other due to his unsuccessful lovelife. A brief partnership with one Lori Talbot seemingly ends when she grows inactive and rarely venturing outside the magical library in which she was working. Snow became increasingly sexually frustrated as well, musing over the lack of positive energy in his life despite having saved billions of Tralonian lives and stopping the Tralonian Empire from crumbling. Thanks to the energy given to him by his frustrations, however, Skarius got to work to his power armoured suit to vent his increasing stress. This resulted in two more interesting developments: a complete overhaul of the suit, save for the armoured under-suit and chestplate, and updates to increase the amount of armour the suit actually used. Along with better synchronisation with his cryokinetic abilities, his style became less about skill in general and more about strategy, its own form of skill. Something reminiscent of a soldier.
As is per norm with Snow, he got back to his usual routine of tending to Westside, while UNTIL's efforts were spread out elsewhere. Hearing an explosion from a rooftop nearby, he investigates its source; the vigilante known as Revenant, or Iggara Grell, survives the explosion unscathed and shows a developing interest in the draconian UNTIL operative. After introducing herself and getting to know each other, Snowtalon discovered an anomalous plot - a bank in Millennium City Center is looted in a complicated and a meticulously planned fashion. The looped camera feeds showed that one instant the bank was full, and the next the money was mere null and void.
After disassembling one of the cameras and offering its recordings to the MCPD, Skarius and Iggara, or Iggy as she preferred, traveled to the rooftop. Revenant discovered that the roof's cement was fresh, suggesting that the ceiling was breached, then cemented over afterwards. Leading him to the top floor of Mercy Hospital, Iggy proceeded to discover that the windows had been glossed in the previous week, revealing that the bank robbing masterminds were smart enough to consider Mercy Hospital's top floor being able to see them escaping through the bank roof. Deducing that someone at Mercy Hospital may have been related to the plot, the helicopter pad on the roof suggests that the money was airlifted. Iggara and Skarius soon headed for the docks, where a thug related to the robbers was found and knocked unconscious for questioning later.
Achievements
Recent
- No developments as of yet.
Past
- Crash-landed with The Liberators on an island off the coast of China in search for their superteam leader Anthony "Swift" Griffins and his wife, Raelin. The team is successful in retrieving both, but tensions rise with the nearby Manimal village. Following the discovery of munitions and armoured vehicles in the abandoned supervillain base which has been holding up an electro-magnetic field (thus preventing anything electronic inside, naturally Snow's suit meant he never lost power), the village is attacked by a splinter faction of Manimals. They are stopped, and Skarius calls for the UNTIL Superjet to come and pick the rest of the team members away.
- The Reclamation of Kizameth is won, with Skarius' liberation force emerging victorious at the cost of the life of Silver Blast and Snow's left hand. Tharne Darkveil, Xikorai the Fallen, Azala Emberstone and Slayvel are all eliminated, with Erilion the Immaculate's escape a notable exception. However, Xikorai's involvement means a more sinister presence is stirring...
- Became an UNTIL Field Director, becoming the head of a new fighting force. Snowtalon now leads and personally directs his own missions rather than being sent on ones of another's choice - for this explicit purpose, he has been offer his personal garrison, courtesy of the best in UNTIL - Praetor Garrison.
- Promoted to the rank of Colonel - one of the few UNTIL agents to achieve such a rank.
- Attended the first SUMMIT of 2013.
- Engaged in a battle in Millenium City Downtown with the Eternal Demise cultist Zeph, and subdued him.
- Defended the UNTIL Sky Command Carrier from destruction with an entourage of heroes from the Destroid invasion. Successfully destroyed the Mega-Destroid on the deck of the carrier.
- Memory cores proved correct. Snowtalon, along with almost every other hero present in Millenium City at the time, destroyed six Mega-Destroids who attacked the Champions HQ. Even the Champions themselves came to aid, along with Nighthawk.
- Successfully defeated a scouting force of Destroids with heroes Sergeant Kodiak, Veronica "Vivi" Arky, Wildeye and Nightstrike. Recovered memory cores for coordinates of a possible future attack.
- Prevented a large force of ARGENT workers from recovering Questionite deposits.
- Lead a team of heroes consisting of Bronx, Sparx and Mindscape to foil a Roin'Esh plot to steal an artifact from Force Station Steelhead. Communications were also restored.
- Disrupted the timeline during the Vibora Bay apocalypse. As a result, an alternate timeline, separate from ours, was created where Therakiel succeeded in bringing about the end of the world.
- Ventured to the world of Multifaria with the help of Cnidarico and Riou Hotaru. Defeated Shadow Destroyer. Unfortunately, the true Doctor Destroyer was freed, and soon escaped. The Resistance overthrowed Shadow D's remaining New Harmon police forces.
- Escaped from the collapsing Shining Darkness and the demise of the Kings of Edom during the Aftershock incident, with a large number of UNTIL soldiers, Major Fulani Okonkwo, and four other heroes.
- Defeated Teleiosaurus, Teleios and a small army of VIPER soldiers, (including the ranks of Redstone, VIPER-X and Ripper)on Monster Island. Also defeated White Rhino and Phillipe Moreau in a raid on Moreau's lab, with the help of heroes Riou Hotaru, Armory, Heat Screech, and Anarchy. Later, hunted down Teleiosaurus permanently.
- Defeated Luther Black in Operation: Demonflame. His ascension was thus prevented, and DEMON subsequently fell apart. Some members banded together, others retreated to Qliphothic Caves.
- Uncovered VIPER's plans to use the Serpent Lantern for their own means - banished Viperia and stopped the terrorists from succeeding.
Trophy Cabinet
The items in a cabinet present in his penthouse are:
- Ripped and torn Roin'Esh cape spad with spaulder. After Whiteout, almost nothing catches our draconic hero off-guard.
- A scythe blade used by a Qliphothic horror. He pulled it off the arm of one of the horrors during the Demonflame op.
- Baron Cimitiere's hat. He has good style, but the accent is appalling.
- Destroid leg. A painful reminder from Detroit.
- The OSF Annihilator's head. There are wires leading into it's head and it's connected to his generator. It can still talk.
- A New Harmon Police helmet. Scratched and burnt, this trophy was taken after defeating Shadow Destroyer.
- Discarded VIPER Emblem. Snatched one of these after the Serpent Lantern.
- The Teleiosaurus' skull. Alas, poor Yorick...
- A DEMON wand. Collected from the "Aftershock" incident after the caves.
- Snow's robotic arm he had before having his organic one regrown. With science.
- Armory's revolver that was given to Snow for Christmas. Such a beautiful thing.
- The shattered breastplate of Tharne Darkveil, pillaged from his corpse at the end of the Reclamation.
Abilities
- Technological Prodigy: Skarius is highly adept with several forms of technology. This technological prowess has remained in his family's bloodlines for millenia, and thus, Snow's prowess in creating or repairing tech is legendary.
- Exceptional Combatant: His combat ability is staggering. The training he has endured has honed his marksmanship to impeccable levels, both with external weaponry and his cryokinesis. Coupled with hand-to-hand combat training, he wields not just the very temperature and guns from a pocket dimension, but his own fists, as lethal weaponry.
- Augmented Strength: Snowtalon received powerful cybernetic augmentations when he became a Battlemaster. Whereas the strongest non-augmented Tralonian ever recorded in history could lift ten tons, Skarius can lift a total of twenty-five metric tons, bench-pressing cars with ease.
- Inhuman Durability: Although it's certainly not fireproof, Snow's tough hide is capable of repelling smalls arms fire. Against larger calibers they'll have some trouble trying to get through the scales - against smaller ones, and they will literally flatten against his flesh. He wears his suit for more practical reasons - that, and he gets sent on all the dangerous missions, where an enemy will have certainly more high-grade weapons.
- Combat Discipline: Skarius often needs to find himself immersed in one style of battle in order to awaken some of his most powerful abilities - this can result in him using highly powerful power-armour mounted weapons, raging icestorms, and controlled, powerful blows with his two-handed greatsword all in quick succession the more enemies he faces. His focus is nearly impossible to break - an literally ice-cold combatant.
- Cryokinesis: This powers come naturally the snow dragon - being capable of freezing water atoms present in oxygen and warping its temperature to below zero, freezing it completely and allowing him to shape it. Sub-zero spears, fists coated in ice shards, or cold cages. Snow comes across as incredibly invested into these powers, showing heavy skill and practice. The way Snow uses his powers is through manipulation of forces rather than producing the ice from his body.
- Snowball Rolling: One of Snow's more absurd methods of travel is composing himself inside a giant sphere made of snow, using his cryokinetic abilities to help roll it like a wheel at surprisingly fast speeds.
- Money is the Best Superpower: Snowtalon possesses a total sum of more than $2 billion dollars. Money is often quoted as the best superpower, as one can observe. Snow proves that in just about every fashion, from his armour to his weapons to his share of the power armour market, it's quite clear that it's gotten him far.
- Genius IQ: Snowtalon was a geek from a young age, possessing an IQ of 170. As a result, he is extremely articulate, thoughtful, philosophical and creative. He is quoted as saying that his IQ is a bigger strength than his physical size, muscle, weapons and his armour.
Equipment
- TYRANT/SLAYER Powered Battlesuit: Snowtalon's highly sophisticated battlesuit, referred in official UNTIL records as the "T/S" battlesuit, short for Tyrant-Slayer, is a powerful war machine of masterly-crafted engineering. The helmet incorporates an armor-addup ability which is often used when needed for extra protection on the head. The heads-up-display details Snow's life systems, shield strength and armory integrity in addition to a priority targeting computer, which highlights targets of high importance. The utility pack on the back allows Snowtalon to intercept enemy transmissions and listen in on their recordings. The pack also carries his missile array containing six missiles arranged in two rows. The pack, as well as the feet, have jet thrusters installed to allow Snowtalon flight, exceedingly powerful in order to let the metric-ton dragon to fly. The actual protection the suit provides is three layers Kendrium-Titanium alloy, providing substantial protection from small-arms fire and other hazards, coupled with Questionite shock absorber.
- WRAITH Stealthsuit: Despite rumours questioning its existence, Skarius has, in fact, developed a stealth-focused, lightly armoured suit with various modifications. Firstly, special padding on the soles of the boots that allow even the one-ton snowdrake to move silently, and silenced machineguns installed on the shoulder and in the arms. It also comes equipped with a cloaking system that envelopes Snowtalon's entire frame with all spectrums of light, rendering him totally invisible, save for a small shimmer during movement. Finally, stealth-based concussive micro-missiles come installed in the shoulders, in case he needs to put a foe down.
- Voidite energy batches: The enigmatic power source that runs most of Snow's technology is known as Voidite energy, originating from the Tralonian-discovered bizarre dimension known to them as The Void. It is a highly transformative element that takes multiple forms, whether it be solid, liquid, or anything beyond and in-between. He keeps his reserves in batches that are present in his hideout. Voidite-powered technology is highly stable, but the two most interesting things are this: the energy self-replicates, meaning that the tech stays powered on infinitely, and the remarkable processing power it can dish out. This power is balanced out be its extreme rarity - Skarius finds it difficult to create more batches of the stuff.
- AVALANCHE Hovertank: This enormous hovering tank-like gunship was built by UNTIL as a part of project to deliver vehicles to a handful of heroes in Millenium City. Snow was chosen as a particular candidate, and his tank made it's debut when defending the carrier from destruction. Its Kendrium Alloy Plating protects the tank from most conventional forms of harm, the teflon coating giving it the ability to reflect projectiles, and the tank is outfitted with anti-aircraft missiles, reconstructive nanites, a heavy cannon and an autocannon loaded with piercing rounds. The storage bay can also hold several people at once. After the story Sacred World, the AVALANCHE was retired.
- Matter Manipulator: A device constructed for fighting larger threats, upon activation, takes control of an object's mass in a small field, causing a shift in weight and in height. This allows Skarius to reach a total of twenty feet in height, ideal for taking out larger foes - however, it comes with two major drawbacks. Firstly, the field only affects the things Snow is currently wearing on him, meaning he cannot shift weapons, and even if he could he cannot create larger ammunition for firearms. Secondly, the device puts an immense strain on Skarius' body, draining him mentally and physically - leaving him unable to do much afterwards.
- Integrated Power Armour Weapons: Armed with an enormous array of onboard power-armour weapons, Snowtalon's weaponry consists of a large variety of attachable weapons, including a pair of right wrist-mounted cannons that can be converted to a pair revolvers, a combination flak cannon and shotgun mounted atop his backpack, and an autocannon attached to the left arm that can be taken off and wielded with both hands.
- Icebreaker An age-old relic recently awakened from Snowtalon's collection, Icebreaker is a heavy blade that were recovered from a DEMON repository Snow once raided with a group of HERMES operatives in the Himalayas. Recently he tinkered with it nd modified the sword with a power field enveloping the blade, causing it to deal heavier damage when he strikes with it. Made from a combined alloy of kendrium and steel, its density is so high that one of Snow's enormous strength can wield it - however, the sword is mainly a trophy, for now, only brought out in times of need.
- Utility Implant: A highly advanced cybernetic augmentation allows Snow to access his apparel, weaponry, ammo types and armor straight from a pocket dimension the implant is linked to. It also uplinks with the suit to provide him with an ammunition counter, Originally, Snow used a device attached around his waist like a belt to perform these functions before performing this procedure. It allows him access to various databases, the Champions Response and Protect channel and other commlines, as well as various programs such as text allowing for holopad typing. The belt was since given to the UNTIL-employed hero Armory. Most ubiquitous is these "upgrades" is his Riftpocket, which allows him to store objects up to the size of his own body.
- Holographic Disguise: Snow is in possession of a small device attached to his left forearm that allows him to switch between his normal self and his more subtle human disguise. A few traits are shared between the real Snow and human Snow - such as the amber eyes and the pale skin.
Ammo Types
The ammo types used in his various weapons are of his own manufacture, though the schematics and even the actual rounds themselves are available for sale.
- Standard Brass Casing Rounds: Used in different levels of caliber for his revolvers and autocannon.
- Pulson: Non-lethal ammunition. Delivers disorienting charges towards the enemy, usually knocking them out cold under enough fire.
- "Lighters": Plasma rounds. These particular kind of rounds can recharge on their own, meaning Snow won't run out of ammo when these rounds are in. They can also inflict plasma burning on enemies.
- "Nanites": Nanobot rounds are used to "eat" power, and can easily shut down machinery and electronics.
- "Magemasters": Eldritch rounds, enchanted with the capability to punch through all but the strongest of magical defenses and wards.
- "Holepunchers": Questionite-tipped or Kendrium-tipped rounds, which are capable of punching through almost any kind of armor. Used quite rarely in comparison to other bullets, given their metals' worth.
- "Blasters": Explosive rounds. They explode (duh) upon contact, and tend to be used in the autocannon.
- "Snoozers: Tranquilizer rounds. Self-explanatory.
- "Sparkplugs": Electrically charged rounds. Delivers a powerful shock to enemies, but is capable of short-circuiting machinery.
- "Devastators": Thermobaric rounds. Thermobarics are of devastating (hence their name) destructive capacity, capable of delivering an explosion of longer duration than the Blaster model. Snow uses these only on particularly powerful threats, otherwise risking serious collateral damage.
- "Shinies": Silver rounds. Particularly useful for dealing with supernatural threats such as werewolves.
- "Exorcists": Rounds engraved with wards. Mainly used for fighting zombies, ghosts and spirits.
- "Baptists": Holy water rounds. They are encased in a small capsule within the bullet and release upon contact. Used against vampires.
Weaknesses
- I Do Believe I'm on Fire: Unlike many reptiles who are cold-blooded, Snowtalon is warm-blooded and does not suffer from any negative effects from warm nor cold temperatures. However, intense heat - such as fire - from natural and supernatural sources can cause his scales to burn away, leaving the flesh underneath very vulnerable to attack.
- Houston, We've Got a Hull Breach: While Snowtalon's armour is highly resistant to supernatural, elemental and most conventional forms of attacks, enemies possessing above-average strength can affect the density of the Kendro-Titanium suit and potentially cause a breach. This can easily expose his flesh and leave him vulnerable. Additionally, psychic attacks - telekinesis or telepathically induced - can bypass the entire structure of the suit and attack Skarius' physical form directly.
- Sharper Objects and Bigger Bullets: While impervious to most blades and bullets of smaller calibre, Skarius' scales are not indestructible. Anything more than what the suit can take and anything more his own flesh can take will most certainly do him in - and possibly, permanently. The blue scales are the most armoured regions, so his white scales are particularly more vulnerable to attack.
- Big Name, Big Stuff: Snow's presence and even his physical size attracts people. Sometimes, the wrong people - his large profile, both physically and from a reputation standpoint, can attract too much attention. He's also a large target physically and will draw enemy fire to him.
- Broad Shoulders: His size is both his boon and his bane. His width and height means he can not fit nor sit on and in specific places and can find it difficult to maneuver around at such a size. This size can be used against him, as smaller opponents can subdue him.
- Hard Counters: The "hit-and-run" type of opponent is definitely Skarius' anathema. An enemy who can deal a large amount of damage to the suit and thus Skarius himself, then maneuver fast enough to hit him over and over again while leading him on and evading his strikes is a thorn in his side.
- Should Have Solved the Power Problems: Snowtalon's Voidite power source is magical in origin, as eldritch energy. If fortune fancies a kick in the balls, Snow's suit can be set offline with either well-timed spells or sustained magical attacks. This does not affect his bionic hand or his implant, however.
- Deathly Ticklish: Humorously, Snowtalon's scales are sensitive to touch, resulting in him become ticklish. This has been used against him once, much to his chagrin.
Personality
One would expect a creature of Snowtalon’s stature to be hostile, aggressive, and somewhat cold (pun intended), but Snow is anything but. Skarius' personality is contrary to his appearance, much to the surprise of many that first encounter him. He possesses an energetic and virtuous personality, often placing the concerns of others far above his own; even going as far as promising that he would sacrificing limb and, when the time calls for it, life, so that another may live instead. His heroic deeds and refusal to stay in the spotlight have earned the respect of his peers in the superhero community, as well as the trust of his friends. His modesty surrounding his actions show his inherent insecurity, despite his outward personality radiating confidence.
However, there is a more negative aspect of him that can push others away: his job requires him to often bark orders at his soldiers and assume the worst, meaning his occasional bitterness can penetrate his out-of-combat, more level-headed attitude. He often puts a blanket of snarky remarks and sarcastic retorts to prevent his bitter side from surfacing. Strangely for a military type, Skarius has a quirky manner of talking about even the most mundane of things, something that's earned him a few raised eyebrows. He tends to have a dry sense of humor and is quite deadpan when the time calls for it. Owing to his intelligence, he is also poetic and literary-minded. However, his bitterness has been far more visible recently, resulting in him becoming particular sour about not just himself, but how he believes he is inadequate, that he's not enough to do his job. Despite his perceptions, Snowtalon is, at heart, a true hero, one who holds to his values.
Allies and Associates
Armory
"Mike's like a little brother to me. While he can be almost uncontrollable when VIPER mooks are on the prowl, he's brilliant for such a young one."
Michael Renik is one of the many, many people Snow cares about. The two met at around the same time Riou and Snow met each other, and the two have an almost inseparable relationship. They have a lot in common - power armored suits, both are utter gun nuts and are employed by UNTIL. Their friendship have grown after the development of their respective bases, with Snow accidentally building an overpass over Mike's base in the process.
Particle Man
"Ooooh! He's so tiny!"
PM met Snow in Caprice, and the two maintain a regular relationship. They get along quite nicely, even if Snow would be very capable of killing him with a single step. PM doesn't seem to be afraid of his size, however. The two also create an amusing contrast, with Particle Man being roughly the size of Snow's foot, but the two none the less maintain a healthy and quite friendly relationship. Particle Man is fond of the big dragon indeed.
Slicer
"What's more strange to the naked eye than an insectoid-based alien mistress in a short dress and a head full of sass? A dragon in power ar--oh wait. Or maybe a dragon in a nice su--oh wait."
Slicer and our favorite snow dragon have only recently met, but the latter was one of the many at UNTIL who witnessed the finding of the OSF fleet behind the dark side of the moon, and thus knows what happened to the female Ben'Haian. He seems sympathetic to her struggles, as he had endured similar things in his own childhood. He also admires her fighting skill.
Persephone
"Despite the head-crushing thighs and the biceps roughly the size of pigs, she's no belligerent. She's good to you as long as you don't cross her. Much like myself."
A staple of these two's relationships is their constant making fun of each-other. The amazonian demi-god usually calls him [Snow] "Handbag", "Boots" or "Wallet", referring to the fact that reptilian scales are often used for the very same things. In return, he cracks nicknames based around her build - and lest we forget, her chest. Never the less, Snow genuinely cares about her.
Snow Leopard
"One of the few people I've kept a close, stable relationship with. Not to mention she's actually kept my sanity in check."
As mentioned by Snow, Lori Talbot, known otherwise as Snow Leopard, is one of the few individuals amongst the many Snow has loved and has actually managed to stick to. The therianthropic powerhouse admires Snow to her fullest, often snapping him out of his states of misery with a single sentence. Snow is in fact, inspired by her presence, and fights even harder he normally does when she is with him.
Bessie the Cow-Girl
"Oh, Bess...poor damn thing has been treated wrong her entire life. A sentient being, with emotions, thoughts, feelings, treated so terribly by the people who brought her up, not to mention the sheer audacity of the legal system to label her property of UNTIL. It speaks volumes of how they think about manimals and mutants. Bastards. Nothing but scoundrels."
Bessie was rescued from an ARGENT subsidiary known as Emerald Pyramid LLC when she was attacked by their mooks during one of her traveling shows with Doc Holliday. Snow was amongst the team who saved her and stepped forward to keep her safe, and under his wing. He has treated her like a daughter ever since, thoughtful and protective of her. Thankfully, Bess returns the sentiments, and the dragon couldn't be happier to have something akin to a family member.
Zurine
"Most people would have given up on her now. But me? Never. Once I put my faith in someone, I do not retract it. Zurine is no exception."
As of now Snow is Zurine's trainer for her physical and combat activities. Although the blue Lemurian has a strong belief that Snow's unlucky enough to be stuck with her, the dragon does plan to see her training through. On that note, Snow's remarkable patience clashes with Zurine's ineptitude with ice control. Since then, however, Skarius' training with her has grown, and he has discovered that she fights much better when using her ice abilities for melee combat, in conjunction with her tonfas.
White Glint
"Naive, but idealistic. Despite his brashness, he's well-mannered and a very powerful asset on the field."
Snow enjoys giving White the occasional jab every now and then, but essentially serves as his de-facto mentor (despite already having one). After White was subject to brainwashing and later broke its hold, the dragon extended the offer to build White a new power-armored suit based on his own designs. The two share an interesting relationship, as the dragon is constantly at war with Ardacorp for attempting to exterminate White's species. While the young Liberavi appreciates his diligence, he finds it a bit overt, and in contrast to the somewhat boisterous dragon, prefers to keep quiet.
Rogues Gallery
Slayvel
An incredibly lethal swordsman, Slayvel was a high-ranking inner circle member of DEMON who used magical powers to enhance his prowess with swordsmanship. Since the demise of Luther Black during the Aftershock incident (presumably "living on in mankind's nightmares" according to Demoiselle Nocturne), Slayvel became the de facto leader considering Jack Fool, the Left Hand and Black Shepherd were all in custody at the time. He is also immortal, capable of suffering the most painful deaths possible up and to taking an orbital bombardment to the face, because he can reconstruct himself from his atoms. The only way possible to kill him, is using his own katana.
He assigned the cultists to assassinating UNTIL Project: Hermes agents and collecting enchanted artifacts, one of which being the Band of Edom. However, Slayvel allowed the Band to damage his mind, turning him into a psychotic, sadistic killer, if greatly enhancing his reflexes to superhuman levels and enchanting his sword with chaotic power. Even if his undercurrent of psychological damage is now ever-more apparent, the assassin still leads his own personal harem of Fire Demons and the cultists. Slayvel initially escaped from the Westside prison and contacted by Cyberlord when he discovered the whereabouts of the Roin'Esh ship, knowing Skarius was in the immediate area. Slayvel nearly jumped at the opportunity to kill Snowtalon, being a highly trained and recognizable UNTIL agent, as well as the one who had subdued Luther Black during Operation: Demonflame. While on Cyberlord's ship, he engaged him in combat using his enchanted katana. Although he failed, he soon used a spell of teleportation and promptly disappeared from the scene.
Now the katana itself is a very different story, thanks to its chaotic enchantment. It is unpredictable - it can be as blunt as a ballpoint pen and won't cut through a thing. Other times, it can slice cleanly through questionite, as Snow learned rather harshly. In his possession and what he has been lying around are artifact fragments of Qliphothic appearance. Recently, it has been stolen through the assistance of Erilion the Immaculate and by Slayvel himself, after the two managed to successfully subdue Snow.
Erilion the Immaculate
The incubus who had taken back the artifact, Erilion is currently in-league with Lord Tharne Darkveil as a minion of his. Working closely with Slayvel and also with DEMON, Erilion first appeared in Venice, Italy. A friend of Snowtalon's, a mild amnesiac Roin'Esh by the alias of Eviscerator, pursued the very same succubus who had disguised himself amongst the populace. Erilion made his way far into the Vatican and uncovered the final piece of the crown required. Now, the only part that was needed was the crown itself - in Snowtalon's possession.
They attacked Snowtalon in his very home and managed to escape with it, through a portal. If interdimensional in origin, the very same crown may already be in Tharne's possession. Combine this with the dark magic clouds, and Tharne is bringing all of Tralonia to be devoured by the Bleak Ones themselves. As an incubus, Erilion is a powerful demon who has claimed many lives through less-than-savory encounters. Unlike many so-called succubi or incubi inhabiting Millennium City, Erilion is the real deal. Using powerful supernatural abilities, he can call upon infernal energies, ensnare his foes in binding chains, and choke them with otherwordly, dimensional power. However, he prefers to seduce his enemies rather than fight them, truth being he is a coward.
Yet another truth has been unraveled - Erilion was not a pawn of Darkveil but instead King Utharr, the Mad King of Tucad on the planet Rodir, Mesira's place of origin. This reveals that Utharr and Tharne had a connection of some sort, working together, but also reveals things about the incubus. The Immaculate is evidently a Nysskel Demon and now serves as Utharr's Dark Prophet - the one who spreads his word.
Miscellanous
Character/RP Hooks
- The easiest way to getting to know Snow is by working with UNTIL - he's worked with them for thirty years.
- VIPER, more than any other organization, have attempted to subdue Snow several times within a week of him being on Earth. Their scientists in particular will take an interest in him, thanks to his draconic nature.
- DEMON will also have their fair share of peeves with Snow as well, having been involved with Operation: Demonflame and Aftershock and secondarily his fights and gripes with Slayvel or Erilion.
- Recently, the Valkyrie Corporation has struck a deal with Snowtalon. Snow is now the primary manufacturer for their weapons and armour sales, his equipment now being sold under the Valkyrie brand. Talk to him for commissions on such materials.
- Despite his menacing visage, Snow makes friends quicker than you would think. Simply talk to him and it'll show.
- He is a strong supporter of non-human rights, as he holds a strong belief in showing respect to those he meets.
- When Snow's existence was made public when UNTIL moved into the United States, he became an overnight sensation in the United Kingdom. Many British people would know him more by his codename of "Brutus" more than his actual name. He has had a cult following and substantial fanbase, though it shrunk in later years.
Quotes
- "Thus, always with tyrants!"
- "Better to die and be honoured, than to be left alive and humiliated."
- "Stand shoulder to shoulder with me, and the enemy will quake with despair."
- "I have to kill fast...and bullets are too slow."
- "I'm 2,813, and what is this?"
- "We learn from history, that we never learn from history."
Roleplaying Hooks
- The easiest way to getting to know Snow is by working with UNTIL - he's worked with them for twenty-nine years. Surely you would have learned of him, hmm?
- VIPER and other organizations will know him for constantly throwing wrenches into their plans.
- Being a developer of weapons and armor for other heroes, other people can commission him for such needs for a price. First-time registered supers get a freebie of their choice.
- Despite his menacing visage, Snow makes friends quicker than you would think. Simply talk to him and it'll show.
- He is a strong civil rights supporter, and as a result, he has garnered both the admiration of his peers and drawn some ire from those opposing him.
- Snow was also present at the Boon or Bane meeting and has a sense of dignity when it comes to discussing whether superheroes are a blight on human society or not. He is an advocate of them being benevolent if anything, no matter what others' suspicions are.
Short and Not-So-Short Stories
Snowtalon: The Good, The Bad and the Ex
Battlemaster Skarius Snowtalon is one of the most revered combatants in the Tralonian Empire, but things take a turn for the worst when his former lover Azala Emberstone, convinced that he is no good, puts him up for exile, on false accounts of treason...
Snowtalon: All That is Well
The follow-up to The Good, The Bad and the Ex, Skarius Snowtalon has been taken by VIPER forces and pulled back into their nest for experimentation, and gene-splicing. The dragon's nature has piqued their interests, but they get more than they bargained for...
Snowtalon: A Song of Ice and Bullets
In the downtown Millennium City, BRUTUS is bringing the hammer down - or more appropriately, the autocannon - down on several ARGENT forces near their HQ. When inside, he ends up getting into a scuffle with an new foe...
Snowtalon: Honey, There's an Incubus in the Kitchen
Our favorite dragon Colonel Snowtalon is an esteemed commander of UNTIL forces - and in the possession of a highly unstable artifact. A new foe and mysterious foe, who is in the employ of DEMON, comes after him and attacks him in his own home...
Snowtalon: Sacred World
The culmination of events, Tralonia itself is embroiled in a dictatorship with abundant slavery and mind control shenanigans. The Tralonian Empire is in civil war, unable to contact their homeworld through the dark magic storms. However, there is one dragon they left behind, who could potentially go down in their history as the saviour of their homeworld...
Comes in several parts. I - II - III - IV - V - VI - VII - VIII - IX - X
Tropes
Character
- Badass - You don't get to be top dog, or rather, top dragon, at UNTIL by slacking. This is the same dragon who operates a highly successful independent business on power armour and weapons manufacture, hoards a lot of ancient lore on magic and knows demonology intimately (having lectured before at Red Academy and was a teacher there for some time), fought at the Battle of Detroit, served UNTIL for three decades and had surgery on himself to put in his utility implant while he was awake, though he wasn't feeling a thing at the time. Suffice it to say, Snow is an absolute badass.
- Badass Teacher - During his Red Academy years.
- Alien Blood - His blood is a deep, purple color.
- The Big Guy - Obviously.
- Bipolar Disorder - Skarius was recently diagnosed with the disorder, showing many shades of each of the stages of bipolarity - hypomania to depression is most commonly observed.
- Anti-Hero - Downplayed, though some themes are present. Despite being a man of authority, he doesn't exactly like authoritarians due to seeing a lot of abuse in the system.
- The Atoner - A driving reason for his nobility is something deeply seated in Tralonian archives and only known to Snow himself. The crime mentioned in his early history is that he helped cleanse an entire planet of the Deytheans, a race of insectoids, that antagonised the Tralonians when they attempted to uplift and assimilate them into their empire. The men he had under his command were not notified that the extermination was taking place while they were still on it, and the planet-cracking explosion took them, too. As quoted on the trope page image, a repeated quote from Snow is, "I rise, only to atone for my sins," in reference of this.
- Our Dragons Are Different - His species has evolved into draconic humanoids as if they're a bizarre mixture between mammalian and reptilian anatomies. A big point is their lack of wings, too.
- Expy - Skarius bears similarity to several Marvel characters - his personality as well as the fact of his bipolar disorder were borrowed from Hank Pym, while his suit is clearly Iron Man-inspired, his technological prowess resembling Cable's, and his powers from Iceman. Comparisons to Image Comics' Savage Dragon have also been made.
- Buffy Speak - Lapses into this often due to his rambling tendencies.
- Good Scars Evil Scars - Snow's lip scars was made to make him look even more threatening, all the more to surprise you when you personally know the guy. However, they are relatively clean cuts, as an indicator of his allegiance.
- Real Men Wear Pink - Snow is not only a fanboyish bookworm, but he loves to bake. He has a particular weakness for cupcakes.
- Gentle Giant - Well, he couldn't afford to be all spiteful and angry at others, because he would make enemies quickly. Plus, he is sensitive about his size, and despite his profession, he doesn't want to hurt anyone outside the line of work.
- Lawful Good - Leans towards Type II, initially. He's more prone to chose the right thing over the lawful thing. However...
- Chaotic Good - ...in light of recent events and character development, Skarius slowly transitioned to Chaotic Good; though able to comply with the law and work within its boundaries, he does value his freedom - making him a firm Type II in this category as well.
- Knight in Sour Armour - Where to begin?
- The Eternal Churchill - Quoted him in the past, too!
- Cultured Badass - Comes with a man who can not only defeat an army by himself, but is a strong admirer of literature. Among his favorite works are of Mark Twain or Ernest Hemingway.
- Heart Broken Badass - Snow has never had a lasting relationship. The people he gets with either disappear with no explanation, or turn out to have been using him for their own ends all along. Snow's heart has been in tatters ever since he was thrown out of his own dimension. Livina, however, has been slowly healing this.
- Sophisticated as Hell - Speaking of which, despite his intellectual and often literary-mannered method of speaking, in times of stress, he's prone to cluster f-bombs.
- Berserk Button - His biggest pet peeve is slavery. Seeing someone forced into slavery, especially for a price, is almost unforgivable.
- Stepford Smiler and Stepford Snarker - While he does it primarily out of necessity and in the case of the latter for laughs, Snow uses his nice but snarky exterior as a way of coping with his guilt and his faults.
- Bunny Ears Lawyer - Despite being...well, a dragon, and showing himself to be just a little bit eccentric compared to most, Snow is adept at what he does.
- Bruiser with a Soft Center - A lot of people bring out the cuddly, the gentle side of Snow. Under the scaled muscle he's a big sweetheart, and he doesn't deny an inch of it. Plus, the same guy who drove a two-handed sword almost the size of himself into the head of his archnemesis with a hand missing, weeped the most manly of tears at the wedding of one of his best friends.
- Chivalrous Pervert - On duty, he shows admirable restraint. Off-duty...a very, very big tease. Quadruply so when his mating season comes around.
- Large Ham - Ham-to-Ham combat will happen when he's against an enemy who yells at the top of his lungs and emphasizes everything.
- Good is Not Soft - Think Paragon Shepard from Mass Effect. From the page: "Genuinely nice, caring, loving, and willing to pistol whip someone who's crossed the moral event horizon or beat down some jerkass, or help kill a complete monster in cold blood. And don't ever hurt his friends. It will probably be the last mistake you ever make."
- Kendrium Woobie - He gets his parents murdered and mutilated horribly, was framed by his ex, court-martialed for something he didn't do, captured and brutalized by VIPER soldiers, watched tens of thousands of people die before his eyes to Dr. D's orbital cannon, broke down and cried for the first time in years after Multifaria...and yet he moves on. He doesn't let it take him down a notch. He keeps going, and going, and going.
Combat
- Kevlard - Zig-zagged a little bit. While Snow's a fine balance between fat and muscle, it's more than just an indicator that he's athletic but he likes his food - it actually helps his durability.
- Crazy Prepared - To a ridiculous degree. He has access to his weapons at all times. And not to mention his cryokinesis and super-strength backing him up.
- Boisterous Bruiser and Genius Bruiser - Ho boy, Snow combines a lot of the Bruiser tropes. First off, he has a high IQ. Secondly, he's one of the friendliest dragons in existence, ready to share a drink with anybody who takes his fancy.
- Lightning Bruiser - Don't bother running if he starts charging, because you might as well help repaint the scenery, rather than die tired.
- Blood Knight - In his youth, shades of this. As he's grown older, he's grown tired of the legion of skeletons in his closet and nowadays sticks to his non-lethal rounds when possible.
- Fastball Special - He performs these often with smaller allies.
- Heroes Prefer Swords - Snow's is about the size of a small shipping container, no less.
- Military Superhero - Due to his augmentations, he's seen as a meta by both human and his own species' standards.
- More Dakka - Lots and lots of it.
- Walking Armory and One Man Army - Pretty self-evident. He knocked out eighty percent of a VIPER convoy - and that was when they were packing up an entire nest.
- BFG - The Autocannon. Definitely.
- BFS - Icebreaker.
- Stout Strength - It's no surprise Snow's bulky given how his species works, but woe betide anyone who pisses him off enough.
- Hyperspace Arsenal - Taken to it's logical and literal conclusion.
- Foe Tossing Charge - Like has been said above, he can literally send enemies flying when he starts charging.
Quirks
- Colonel Badass - 'nuff said.
- Extreme Omnivore - Type 1.
- Team Mom - Though Team Dad looks like it was an obvious pick for Snow in his younger days, he softens into this later on. Despite not being a woman.
- Smoking is Cool - Has been known to smoke out of a pipe.
- Dude, Where's My Respect? - This is all to prevalent for Snow. Outside of the United Kingdom and UNTIL, he doesn't get much of it.
- Catch Phrase - "Thus Always with Tyrants" is the mantra of both Snow and Praetor Garrison.
- Aliens of London - Where do you think he picked up his British accent, hmm?
- Amazon Chaser - If his relationship with Persephone and Lori don't give this away.
- Big Eater - He's...well, big. And eats a lot. Put two and two together.
- Anything That Moves - Given the fact that Tralonians age like fine wine, mature quickly and are sexually active once they reach five hundred years, Snow quickly turned into this.
- Renaissance Drake - Demonology expert, power armour and weapons manufacturer, soldier, baker and former teacher. Yeah, he's got a lot of tools under his belt.
- Ineffectual Loner - Several shades of this - half the reason he fails some of his missions is because he not only has abysmal self confidence, but feels like he's never belonged anywhere.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall - Barely had time to repair the damn thing recently.
- Technobabble - Snow lapses into this if anyone tries to discuss the suit. Occasionally used as a defense mechanism when someone tries to find out its secrets, only to be blocked by a never-ending verbal wall of techno jibber-jabber.
- Awesome McCoolname - Really? Really.
- Pals With Jesus - More like pals with an Amazonian demi-god, but close enough!
- What Did You Expect When You Named It Skarius? - Skarius, and he's covered in several scars. Come on.
- Elaborate Underground Base - Referred to by name.
- Incoming Ham - Villains, please don't piss him off unless you want a bourbon-powered, scaled, eight-foot ballistic missile coming at you.
- Bullying A Dragon - Taken to quite a literal degree when people make fun of him.
- Superhero Sobriquets - The Seventh Exemplar, Regent of Kizameth, The One From the North.
- Mythology Gag - Believe it or not, this was unintentional.
Soundtracks
- John Dreamer - Becoming a Legend
- Two Steps From Hell - Riders
- GRV Music & Immediate Music - With Great Power (Extended Remix)
- Iliya Zaki - When Two Worlds Collide
- Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture (Finale)
- Anno 2070 Official Soundtrack - Project Earth
- Les Friction - Who Will Save You Now?
- Jamie Christopherson - The Only Thing I Know For Real (Instrumental)
- Triarii - We are One
- The Heavy - What Makes a Good Man?
- Caravan Palace - Newbop
- Rolling Stones - Doom and Gloom
- Woodkid - Iron
- Dragonforce - Valley of the Damned
Trivia
- Snow originally had wings before October 19th, 2012.
- When scratched behind the frills, Snow will make a deep rumbling sound - the dragon equivalent to a cat purring.
- He is a regular comic con attendee. Oh, and he pulls some ridiculous cosplays off despite being a dragon.
- The main running gag of Snow's character is his weight - while he doesn't really deny it, it's pretty obvious that he's grown a little pudgier over the years. Justified, due to his subspecies' metabolism.
- Snow's favorite genre of music is classical music and rock, as well as orchestra and metal. Although it is not noted upon often in-character, music seems to play a large part in his performance. He has been known to hum In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg, and also the finale of 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky.
Gallery
Done by Snytchell on FurAffinity.
Done by Mew2 on FurAffinity.
Done by SolidShiftVI on FurAffinity.
Done by Kenpudiosaki on DeviantArt.
Done by Resolute-015 on DeviantArt.
No customers. Snow's bartending career didn't work for very long, understandably.
The calendar he worked on for Urbanwear.
I swear, I have no idea how it got there, officer.
Wuh...wha...why is Kagewoe...what?!
Snow makes his guest appearance in XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
"I'm sorry officer, I need to borrow your car. Ripper ordered this with salt."
A wild original armor design appears!
Public Opinion
"Snowtalon? Oh yeah, he's a really cool dude. In more than one way. A great shot with his guns, and pretty damn creative with his ice powers, he's a man I'm proud to call a friend." - Armory
"Heh. Thanks, Mike. I needed that."
"{A modulated voice} I'll be honest and say that I don't know a lot about the guy's personal life, not that it matters of course. However, working with him has always proven to make a mission and its objective much easier to accomplish. My opinion is of course subject to change over the course of my time knowing him. For now, that's all you're getting. If you get this, Snow.' {puts her middle finger up}" - Anarchy
Snow cups his hand over his mouth, in imitation of Bane from The Dark Knight Rises. "You merely adopted the fake voice! I was born with it, shaped by it..."
"Snowtalon...I remember that name from the club. He be one of the folks at UNTIL who knows the OSF here on Earth, and I am so happy to know I'm not fighting them alone. He seems like a cool guy! Looking forward to meeting him again." - Slicer
"Hey, whatever it takes, Ississ system will be free of the OSF one day."'
"Snowtalon? He amuses me greatly with all that he is." - Gloom
"Oh, it's you again. You use the word 'amusing' too often."
"Snow confuses me sometimes, but he never ceases to amaze me the rest. Bein' friends with him isn't for the faint of heart: the guy's nightly routine seems to alternate between clothes shopping and shrugging off bullets. Yet he keeps going with that toothy-lil' grin of his on a daily basis regardless of circumstance, and that alone is admirable." - Slick
"You're giving me the warm fuzzies."
"Hm... Ah... Ahm... Snow is... Uhm... Adipose? I think that's the word... I hope he doesn't know what that means..." - White-Glint
"I will pluck your feathers."
"To be honest? I don't know him well..but hell, he's one of the few I haven't thought about shooting at yet, and that's a strong statement." - Cypher
"And here's me thinking you'd just go lock yourself in your room and start snorting grain salt so you keep your gravelly voice. But hey, you're not bad."
"Dude's a dragon and an agent for the United Nations Tribunal of International Law. How effing cool is that?" - Canadian Fist
"I know right? Awesome."
"Well. Handbag is a good guy, very good guy. Not going to go into details or semantics, but he can take a joke in stride...and he's good at shooting my clothes apart. So I guess he loves the view, if he comments on my body so much. Heh. I'll most likely not try to turn him into a pair of boots, or... shoes, or a vest, or matching chaps. But in all seriousness, if I needed someone to watch my back, he would be one of the few on a somewhat short list. And that, you can take to the bank. He's not going to read this. Right?" - Persephone
"Definitely not. Ooooh noooo..."'
"Going to deny the ever-living shit out of it." - Persephone
"Still know I more about him, / That has to me been told. / A dragon, wormlike monster, / Slew once the hero bold. / Then in its blood he bathed him, / Since when his skin hath been, / So horn-hard, ne'er a weapon / Can pierce it, as hath oft been seen." - An excerpt of the Song of the Nibelungen, which Snowtalon would find in his mailbox. Sender Unknown.
"...Is someone trying to seduce me, or murder me? Or both?"
"Skarius Snowtalon? Oh, the big lizard guy. Yeah, seen him around HQ. He's all right! Doesn't call me Siri, doesn't complain about mission assignments, gets the job d-- What? A pair of stilts!? Oooooh... I have access to the coffee maker, and I know the guys in IT personally, Snowtalon!" -- Serenity Carpenter
"It's big 'dragon' guy', Siri."
"He's a cool guy, one day he might just beat me in Carls~ Haha! Nah seriously, I'd love to get to know him more, he seems totally cool~" -- Strix
"Ooohooohoooh, don't get too cocky."
"He's a darlin'! Saved me from them ARGENT fellers an' took me flyin' an' all. Ah owe him so goldurn much, it ain't even funny." -- Bessie
"Hey, I can't resist helping people. It's a quirk."
"One of the friendliest dragon-people I know! It's kinda rare to meet one that won't try to use ya as a tiny snack." - Particle Man
"On second thought, you look delicious..."
"Any friend of All-Star's can't be that bad. Snowtalon is no exception. I appreciate his loyalty, sense of duty and drive. Not to mention an arsenal that has helped pull the tide of victory on more than one occasion." - Sparrowhawk
The sound of his shotgun pumping emits nearby. "No problem, hon."
"Who? Oh that dragon guy with the shit ton of artillery. Yea I remember him not too long ago. He seemed to be a bit winded up but he's good people from what I can tell. He sure as hell has enough armaments to just blast a hole into any of his problems. Need a problem solved? Trust the dragon that goes pew pew and bang bang. A true philosophy in life I'd say." - SoulStar
"Winded up? Mate, if you were kicked out of your own dimension, scarred for life at the Battle of Detroit and before all this seen shit that would make a lesser man snap? You'd have some issues, too."
"While Snowtalon might have a fierce looking appearance, tote around enough firepower to level a city block, and be armored enough that it would take a lineup of tanks to even think about denting that armor of his, deep inside he's a kind and caring dragon. I see him going far in the unstable world around us." - Razira
"D'aaawwww, quit making me blush, you."
"Hi Mr. Snowy! You are pwetty awesome and I hope you are ok when you visit your homeplace. I got cookies for you when you get back!" - Chocolate Chip Chelsea
Hanging his head, Snow gives a content sigh. "Thanks, Chelsea..."
"I think his fluff gives him a good image. Well, it makes his image easy to look at, which I have no issues with doing." - Hydro
"Hey! How many times have we talked about this, Arby?"
"Wait, dragon?! I always thought he was some kinda giant, albino, frilled neck lizard or something." - Joah
"What an astute observation! But...yeah, I agree, even I find it confusing."
"I've never met the guy, but I've seen him around. Not a fan of lizards though..."' - Stitch
"For one, I'm not a lizard. Two, the hell was the point of giving your opinion if you have no idea who I am?"
"In my dreams, I saw a red dragon fighting a white one. The white dragon, however, had a big fucking gun and proceeded to reduce my beloved England to swiss cheese. Queen save us."' - Leonard Castellar
"Isn't the red dragon Welsh and the white dragon English? Why would I be shooting my own country?!"
"I got déjà vu when I saw this guy. Couldn't explain it. Saw him and thought, 'That man must be some kinda... dragon-man!' Turns out he was just a dragon. But he sure can burninate all the bad guys. He should be called 'The Burninator' if ya ask me." - Citizen 13
"Bloody hell, really? I thought Puff the Gun Toting Dragon was bad, but now, Trogdor?"
"Heh, I love the big guy. 'E's more than willin' ta' throw me inta' battle, 'n I mean tha' literally." - Varulfr
"D'aw, Caleb. I didn't expect you to get all sentimental."
"Never met Snowtalon, Seems like a good UNTIL Agent though, Gotta meet him soon." - Skull
"Straight to the point, I s'pose?"
"A bit meatheaded until he speaks to you on non-business-related terms. Still, I forgive him for past hypocrisy. The Colonel is a smart and clever one whether he consciously realizes it or not." - Phosphene
"Flattery, I say! Flattery! Good feelings, go away..."
"Snowtalon? Oh! You mean Skarius! Oh uh... *giggle* I think he's such a wonderful and dreamy white dragon. You know I also have some dragon ancestery in me as well? But oh, that's not the point! He's such a gentledrake and it's soo cute the way he blushes the way he does! I'll... be right back, I need to call him again~..." - Livina Uaisbro
"Flattery..." Snow mutters, his scaly white cheeks tinting a shade of violet.
  In late 2017, plagued by lawsuit troubles, the Coalition dissolved. A deal was made for PRIMUS to take the heat and clear members of civil suits so that individuals would not be affected... but the price was that the organization was to disband. The Coalition was dissolved, the facilities shut down, and the organization became defunct. The Orb of Eternity was disposed of, and the Citadel was destroyed in a controlled demolition. The Phoenix Complex itself was also similarly decommissioned and rebuilt into a new headquarters for Vlocke Aerospace Industries and Frost Futuretech. The Liberators parted ways, but remaining friends and wishing each other luck in their future endeavors. The Phoenix went up in ash... though because PRIMUS only ordered the current members to dissolve and never reform, and not outsider non-members, the Phoenix may one day rise again from the ashes when the ban on the team name "Liberators' expires in ten years. LIBERATORS 2011-2017 | |
|---|---|
| Assets
Liberators Tower (decommissioned) | The Citadel (decommissioned) | |
| Members at time of dissolution
Swift | Skarius Snowtalon | Nulion | Ouros | Viro
| |
| Administrators:
Swift | Velocies | Lionel Blacke | Skarius Snowtalon | Roland Vlocke
| |
| Associates and Allies:
Creed |Davkas Droverson | Tai Cheng | King Nocturne | James Walker | Shadow | Umbra | |
| In Reserve / Status Unknown:
Fang | Firefox | Nik Buster | Varulfr | Blast-Beetle
| |
| Deceased / Former Members:
Rocket Wolf | CharmCaster | Techna Ology | Kados | Rhiannon Frost | Ephrael Wilson
| |
